Sand trap



Patented Oct. 2l, 1941 OFFICE SAND TRAPv i William Wright, Chicago, Ill., assgnor' to Morris i B. Brewster Co. Inc., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Application May 20, 1940, Serial No."336,209

(o1. 2er-11) 4 Claims.

The invention relates generally to track sanding apparatus used on locomotives.

In sand-traps for locomotives, it is desirable to provide an air-nozzle which may be adjusted to vary the quantity of sand discharged from the trap. In the constructions heretofore used, vthe connection for supplying air to the sand-trap was axially aligned with the nozzle and required disrconnection from the sand-trap to provide access to the nozzle when adjustment of the nozzle was iesired. When the coupling for the air delivery pipe tothe trap was disconnected it frequently occurred that the coupling would not be securely tightened so that leakage Wouldl result and the supply of air into the trap would be inadequate orwould not be of a predetermined rate.

One object of the invention is to provide an limproved sand-trap in which the air delivery nozzle is secured to a closure which is accessible from the outside of the casing of the trap so-that the nozzle can be adjusted Without disconnecting the closure from the casing or requiring uncoupling of the air-supply pipe from the trap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trap with ducts for clean-out blasts for the pipe in which the sand is delivered to the rails, which will avoid the cutting eiected by the sand upon the pipe.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the detailed description.

' The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth `and are more Iparticularly dened by claims at the conclusion hereof.

` In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a sand-trap embodying one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of the combined nozzle and closure for the opening through which the nozzle is inserted into, and removed from, the trap. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a trap embodying a modified form of the invention. Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The track-sander is of the type used on locomotives and comprises a sand-trap which receives sand from the sand-box or dome on top of the locomotive and is supplied with air under pressure from `the usual compressed air-supply for discharging the sand from the top; and a pipe for delivering sand to the rail or rails adjacent one or more of the wheels of the locomotive.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the sander comprises a body or casing I which is formed with a vertical extension I2 which is connected by a union coupling I3 to the pipe I4 which delivers the Vsand to the trap from the sand-box. The sand passes from pipe I4 through inlet I5 in extension I2 and into the horizontally extending trap-conduit I6 in the casing which extends laterally from said inlet. At the opposite end, casing I0 has connected thereto a pipe lII for delivering sand to the rails.

A nozzlek 20 having its axis extending longitudinally of the trap I6, is adapted to direct air under pressure through `said trap to deliver the sand to, and force it` through, the pipe I'I which delivers the sand to the rails. This nozzle comprises a tubular discharge member 2I which extends into the conduit I6. The nozzle 'extends through a close-fitting opening 22 in the Wall of casing II) at the outer side of the elbow between inlet I5 and conduit I6. The outer end of the nozzle is xedly secured to, and rigid with, a plug 32k which is provided with a screw-thread for engaging screw-threads in the casing I0. The casing I0 is formed with a hollow extension I I which is provided with a chamber 33 which extends aroundthe plug. The outer endo! extension II is formed 'with aA screw-threaded opening 34 aligned with the opening 22 through which the nozzle Zilvmay be inserted'intoa'nd removed from, the casing. Plug 32 is of suicient length to project beyond the outer endof extension II of the casing so that it will be accessible for rotation -while the nozzle is in its operative position in the trap. A lockfnut 35 is threaded to plug'32 and engages the outer end of 4extension II to securely hold plug 32 and nozzle 20 in their assigned position. This exemplifies a construction in which the closure-plug for the opening, through which the nozzle is inserted and removable, is accessible from the outside of thecasing for adjustment of the nozzle. Asa result, the nozzle may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly by turning the lplug 32 which is provided with a head 32a at its outer end by which it may be turned. Air from chamber 33 around closure 32 flows through radial ports 3'! to a chamber 38 in said plug. A port 39 is formed in the inner end of the nozzle 2l) and is of restricted area to limit the ow of air to the bore of the nozzle for reducing its pressure and causing it to be delivered from the inner end of the nozzle at a predetermined rate of flow.

Air under pressure is supplied to chamber 33 from a nipple 21 through an elbow duct 29. Nipple 21 is usually connected to a pipe by a union coupling and is connected to a suitable control valve for controlling the operation of the sander, as is well understood in the art. This air-supply connection is off-set relatively to the plug 32 and nozzle 2|] so that the plug will be removable or adjustable without disconnecting the air-supply connection. A characteristic of the construction described, in which the nozzle and closure plug 32 are secured together for conjoint adjustment, is that the plug can be readily turned to adjust the nozzle inwardly and outwardly to vary the rate of delivery of the sand from the trap, without removing the plug from the casing and without uncoupling the air-supply connection from the casing. In assembling the plug and nozzle with, or removing them from, the casing Ill, the nozzle passes through opening 34 in extension Il of the casing. The screw-threaded connection betweenthe plug and the casing permits the inner end of the nozzle to be set at the point desired. When it is desired to adjust the nozzle to vary the rate of delivery of the sand from the trap, it is only necessary to loosen lock-nut 35 and turn the plug 32 because the nozzle is adjustable with the plug. The chamber 33 around the plug conducts lair to ports'31 and the inner end ofthe plug and to the nozzle so that it is not necessary to uncouple the air-supply connection in order to effect adjustment of the nozzle. It is now common practice to deliver a momentary clean-out blast of air into the delivery pipe II'l from a pip-e connected to the control valve, as is well understood in the art. Heretofore, it was customary to deliver this blast from a single duct, which discharged the blast at an angle oblique to the axis of the pipe. This has frequently resulted in causing the sand subjected to the airblast to out or wear away the delivery pipe. To prevent this, an annular 'duct 40 is formed in the body of the trap around the vertical out-let lllb from the trap-conduit and the pipe 4| for delivering the clean-out blast of air is connected to deliver air into said annular conduit. A series offour ports 42 extend downwardly from conduit 40 to direct a series of blasts into the upper end of pipe I1. These ports 42 are inclined so that the blasts will meet at the center of the pipe and be neutralized or directed so the air will iiow along the axis of the pipe without directing any localized blast against the wall of the pipe.

In the modication illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the nozzle is provided with a valve to prevent back-flow of the sand from the trap-conduit. In this form of the invention the nozzle 2E!a is formed with' a reduced inner terminal and a valve-seat 50 for a valve 5 I. The nozzle is integrally formed with a hollow plug 32Ev which is screw-threaded to thev extension Ila formed on the trap-casing Illa. r

A cylinder 52 is formed in plug 32a coaxially with the nozzle and a piston 53 is slidably tted in said cylinder. Valve 50 is connected to piston53 by a stem 54. The outer end of cylinder 52 is closed by'a removable screw-plug 55. A spring 56 between plug 55 and piston 53 normally presses valve l! against its seat in the nozzle. A locknut 5'! secures the plug 32a in its assigned position in the casing. An air-chamber 33a is formed in the extension Ila around the inner end of plug 32a and is supplied with air from the off-set nipple 21a through duct 29a. Ports 58 conduct air from chamber 33EL to the inner end of cylinder 52. When air under pressure is delivered to chamber 33a, it will shift piston 53 outwardly against the force of spring 56 and unseat valve 5| to discharge air under pressure from the nozzle and discharge sand from the trap-conduit through the delivery pipe.

- 'Heretofore, in constructions in which'a valve was used, the spring was applied inwardly of the valve and through the portion of the nozzle which remains in communication with the trapconduit. As a result, back-How of sand from any cause would pack in the inner end of the nozzle and prevent the valve from being opened. In the present construction, any sand which may ow into the nozzle inwardly of the Valve will, when the piston 53 is moved outwardly by air under pressure, be blown out of the inner end of the nozzle by such pressure and the valve will not be prevented from opening by sand which may become packed in the nozzle. In this form of the invention, the nozzle, being rigid with the closure-plug 32a, can be adjusted without removing the nozzle or plug from the casing.

The invention exempliiies a sand-trap in which the nozzle is secured to the plug for closing the opening through which the nozzle is inserted into the casing and the nozzle is accessible from the outside for adjustment without removing the plug from thecasing and without uncoupling the oiT-set air-supply connection.

It also exemplifies means for supplying a clean# out blast to the delivery-pipe in which the air is distributed and directed to prevent the cutting away of the pipe by the sand.

It also exemplifies a nozzle which is provided with a valve for preventing the back-flow of sand through the nozzle and in which the valve is operated by a piston and spring at its outer en and which the sand can not obstruct. 'Y

'The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modied within the scope of the appended claimswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. f

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sander, the combination of a casing provided with a trap-conduit, an inlet and an outlet for the sand, a nozzle in the casing, means Vfor supplying air to the nozzle, a sand delivery pipe connected to the casing, and means for delivering a clean-out blast to the delivery pipe comprising an annular duct in the casing and around the outlet and a series of portsv leading from the duct and inclined to direct jets of air so they will meet along the center of the pipe. 2. In a sander, the combination of a casing provided with a trap-conduit, an inlet and an outlet for the sand, a nozzle in the casing, means for supplying air to the nozzle, a-sanddelivery pipe connected to the casing, and means for delivering a clean-out blast to the delivery pipe comprising an annular duct formed in an integral portion of the casing around the outlet and a series of ports inclined to direct jets of air so they will meet along the center of the pipe.

3. In a track sander, the combination of a casing provided with a vertically extending inlet leg for the casing, a trap-conduit extending laterally from the inlet leg, and an outlet leading from one end of the conduit, the casing being provided with a chamber at one side of and adjacent to the inlet leg, a plug screw-threaded to the casing at the outer side of the chamber, a nozzle-pipe rigid with the .plug and extending inwardly therefromk through an opening in the casing and projecting into the trap-conduit, the plug beingprovided with an opening communicating with the'bore of the nozzle-pipe, the nozzle-pipe being adjustable longitudinally by the screw-threaded connection between theplug and the casing, means for locking the plug against rotation to hold the nozzle-pipe, and a connection for supplying air, in offset relation to the plug and connected to said chamber.

4. In a track sander, the combination of a casing provided with a vertically extending inlet leg for the casing, a trap-conduit extending laterally from the inlet leg, and an outlet leading from one end of the conduit, the casing being provided with a chamber at one side of and adjacent to the inlet leg, a plug screw-threaded to the casing at the outer side of the chamber, a nozzle-pipe rigid with the plug and extending inwardly therefrom through an opening in the casing and projecting into the trap-conduit, the plug being provided with a cylinder and an opening communieating with the cylinder and the bore of the nozzle-pipe, the nozzle-pipe being adjustable longitudinally by the screw-threaded connection between the plug and the casing, means for locking the plug against rotation to hold the nozzle-pipe, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, a valve seated in the nozzle-pipe and connected to the piston by a stem, the plug being provided with a port for supplying air from the chamber to the cylinder for shifting the piston to open the valve when air is admitted to the chamber, a spring in the plug applied to normally seat the valve, a cap screw-threaded to the plug for closing the outer end of the cylinder, and a connection for supplying air in olset relation to the plug and connected to said chamber.

WILLIAM WRIGHT. 

